Gallipoli Cup and Cock of the Harbour honours to Simon Lucas in speedy FForever Young

Flying fifteen skipper Simon Lucas was revealed as the mystery winner of the recently held Gallipoli Cup race in FForever Young at trophy night on Saturday, May 6.

Not only did Lucas win that prestigious trophy but followed that up by winning the title of Cock of the Harbour race on Saturday in a remarkable double.

The handicap harbour course event was held in real wintery conditions with a chilly easterly that didn’t drop under 20 knots.

Eleven yachts started but only nine finished the gruelling course.

Geoff Oliver skippering Excitabull was the scratch boat and given the challenge of making up the huge gap to the rest of the fleet.

A hard task indeed and to his credit and his crew’s he completed the course in the fastest time.

FForever Young with a huge handicap revelled in the conditions without his regular crew and easily caught the slower yachts and took the lead.

Stephen Lee in Flasheart had been sailing very well indeed as was Aileen Lucas in Crazy.

All boats were in with a chance in the early stages but it was the Flying Fifteens which looked likely to pull off a win.

Even when FForever Young ripped its spinnaker to shreds on the last downwind leg it managed to stay in front.

Flasheart messed up near club stake allowing Crazy to slip through.

FForever Young finished nearly two minutes in front of Crazy who took second place in a fine effort with Flasheart in third place in another good outing.

The Cock of the Harbour was the last race in the autumn series and heat one of the winter series begins this Saturday with the earlier start of 1pm.